tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37764622012-01-09T10:00:42.641-05:00My name is Wonsuk Chin and I'm a writer, producer and director. I have directed TOO TIRED TO DIE and E-DREAMS. Here, I will be talking about my projects, my life and for sure, New York Mets. :) For a Korean language blog, please visit http://koreandirector.blogspot.com/ (한글 블로그의 위치는 옆과 같습니다. ^^)Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-22294984189395227432012-01-08T09:47:00.000-05:002012-01-08T09:47:55.816-05:00

MacWorld. For a filmmaker, that's an event as foreign as some machinery trade show in Moscow. So the fact I am being invited to show my films and speak about the experience of shooting them with an iPhone is pretty is still surreal to me. http://www.macworldiworld.com/ifan/film/ Right now, I'm preparing a short film that will premiere at MacWorld 2012. The event is less than 3 weeks away and I

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-84912655855066106892011-12-25T21:12:00.000-05:002011-12-25T21:12:05.606-05:00

Okay. I'm not a critic. Not a film blogger. Or I do not see every movie out there. I'm just a filmmaker who loves movies.  I don't necessarily believe in "best movies" but it's a fun exercise to put together some of the favorite movies I saw this year. As you can see, it's very US-centric. Was it a strong year for American movies or do I just prefer them? Since I travel a lot and am based in

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-28565560264904588372010-09-28T13:38:00.000-04:002010-09-28T13:38:34.706-04:00

I just directed and shot this music video with... guess what? an iPhone. Had no idea how it would turn out but it was a great experience for me. :)

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-1822334150706695072010-09-14T16:27:00.001-04:002010-09-14T16:28:23.169-04:00

Could I blog again? Or is the thing of the past?

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-92156005721473530052009-12-28T22:24:00.003-05:002009-12-28T22:33:07.398-05:00

OK. It's that time of the year where everyone makes a top 10 list. I'm not a critic or movie blogger but it's always fun to make a list of memorable movies I watch in the same year.So, I've chosen my ten favorite movies of the year (not necessarily the best ones) not in any particular order. Also, since I travel a lot, some of the movies are yet to be released in Korea or some were released last

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-13840272156145484442009-12-01T14:04:00.002-05:002009-12-01T14:28:27.156-05:00

OK. I've been hooked up on my new iPhone in Korea. But this 3GS model is far more advanced than I thought.Tonight, I hung out with Yoon Il-sang, well-known composer and Kim Jin-joong, a top developer who's also known as Golbin Hacker in Korea. We all had one thing in common. We're among the first in Korea to own iPhones which just came out 4 days ago.As 3 people in different fields, we had one

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-73458818082431054362009-11-23T11:44:00.003-05:002009-11-23T11:58:22.059-05:00

Just saw Delirious on DVD.It made me nostalgic about 90's in NY although the film was made in 2006. I think it's because it was directed by Tom Dicillo, one of the NY indie filmmakers of the 90's. I could consider him among my colleagues although he's far more proven and more prolific. Hey, at least, I made a film in the 90's in NY when indie filmmaking was happening and there's a sense of

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-71917657942429490202009-11-11T22:06:00.003-05:002009-11-11T22:20:56.896-05:00

I'm itching again. For my creative impulse.The short films I saw last week started it. Last night I went to see "A Brand New Life" by Ounie Lecomte and went to have beer with a filmmaker friend. We talked about how we can reboot ourselves. I feel like a rusty engine that needs to be sparked. How do you do it?I remember another filmmaker friend telling me one page a day. He said, if you write one

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-42985933471969868332009-11-08T09:04:00.002-05:002009-11-08T09:11:27.465-05:00

My LA trip is now being delayed for a week. Which is good because I need to reorganize my life right now. In addition to following up on all the projects I'm working on, I need to get back to writing. It usually takes a week of discipline to get the feel of it.Last week, I went to the Asiana International Short Film Festival. Truly inspiring when you watch those short films. Not because they're

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-34940672895494856482009-11-04T12:47:00.002-05:002009-11-04T12:50:27.135-05:00

Another lame excuse. I've been neglecting my blog due to Twitter and lack of much update for my projects.Working on a couple of them as a producer and making progress now. As for my directing vehicle, I have no idea what it would be my next one. In order for it to happen, I gotta write. And I'm far from finishing a new script.Meanwhile, I'm heading back to LA next week.Will update my blog more

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-47847885436573613022009-09-24T05:47:00.002-04:002009-09-24T05:50:30.192-04:00

Heading for LA this weekend. I may stay for a week. Maybe longer depending on the outcome of the first few meetings. Can't talk about the nature of the meetings yet but I'm excited about the prospect of the new business I'm creating w/ my partners.Hopefully I can visit NY, too. If the Mets were doing great, I would be visiting Citifield. But that wouldn't be the case this time.I have to be back

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-26449823189315340522009-08-29T22:34:00.002-04:002009-08-29T22:47:08.852-04:00

There are just too many film festivals in Korea. Pusan, Puchon, Jeonju, Gwangju, Chungmuro, Jechoen... the list goes on. For movie lovers, it's great news. You get to see so many different movies from all over the world. Most of them, probably you'd never be able to see anywhere else.The abundance of festivals creates a problem. Too many unqualified programmers are programming the festivals. As a

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-30792237132438362772009-08-27T00:59:00.002-04:002009-08-27T01:09:25.009-04:00

I just don't get it. iPhone is available in over 80 countries and yet, the Koreans can't get it. Some say it's because we have Samsung and LG but are they really lobbying to block iPhone? If that's the case, shame on them!For a while, iPhone couldn't come in because of WIPI. Now that WIPI is lifted, all kinds of other hurdles are standing in the way.In Korea, I use Samsung Blackjack. Not because

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-9935066333168802662009-08-17T22:33:00.002-04:002009-08-17T22:39:07.418-04:00

The irony of Twitter.By using it more often, I neglect my blog and yet, I get more visitors because of it. Anyhow, I now understand blog and twitter shouldn't conflict. Though I spend more time on this stuff (some would say "waste), it's an effective way of communicating w/ friends, strangers and aliens. Haha.Still trying to get into the creative mode. I'm working on a couple of big business

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-50955637192922722642009-08-16T01:35:00.001-04:002009-08-16T01:35:59.775-04:00

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.All I can say is... Wow!

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-14344572454878728812009-08-10T11:17:00.002-04:002009-08-10T11:21:51.196-04:00

Didn't know about this guy until tonight when Ashton Kutcher recommended one of his YouTube videos on Twitter. Talk about a powerful endorsement. David Choi may be an aspiring Korean American musician from Southern California but instead of wondering about how to make it, he goes about and makes things. Totally inspiring and humbling.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-17197230670316808312009-08-03T23:10:00.002-04:002009-08-03T23:18:03.787-04:00

Seoul may not be Paris or New York but it has its own small cinematheque, a place where you can watch old movies or alternative movies.This summer, they're programming their annual Cine Vacance, a mini festival/retrospective. This year's program features films by Jacques Demi, Don Siegel and Otar Iosseliani. Me, personally Demi's movies are the ones the most looking forward to as they really

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-83624640082388084902009-07-27T00:45:00.000-04:002009-07-27T00:51:18.087-04:00

Not from drinking or excessive exercise but the intensive schedule at Puchon Int'l Fantastic Film Festival. We had 25 meetings in 3 days. I wish it were for my project. :) Glad I was repping a very worthy project. Looks like I'm getting involved in it as some kind of a producer.Oh, good news! The project, which is called The Arsonists, won two awards at NAFF. Very exciting and rewarding.Now back

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-45639388842962272532009-07-19T14:04:00.003-04:002009-07-19T14:24:19.339-04:00

I'm in Pucheon. It's a satellite city to Seoul. Nothing stands out about the city but this is also the host to one of the surprisingly pleasant film festivals in Asia.PIFAN is a short for Pucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and it's the 13th year this year. I came here just to watch films and discovered "Om Shanti Om" and its heroine Deepika Padukone (who's currently on my wallpaper).

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-48038671048940641582009-07-15T13:16:00.000-04:002009-07-15T13:23:23.767-04:00

These days, I'm hardly living the life of a film director. If you ask me when my directorial work will come out, you might want to take a long nap and ask me again a year from now.Actually, it's not true. I worked hard on a few projects but haven't been lucky. A low budget horror movie I was considering directing this summer fell through because the writer of the project gave me and a producer a

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-53726845557660260492009-07-06T11:12:00.000-04:002009-07-06T11:20:14.842-04:00

Finally I got a blogging app on my iPhone to start blogging anywhere and anytime. Excited about it. I should be able to do it more often.-- Post From My iPhone

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-46060255262460000862009-06-26T00:01:00.002-04:002009-06-26T00:12:57.446-04:00

What a day! Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson within a day?They were truly the cultural icons of the 70's and 80's. Like many in my age, they have a special place in my heart. Farrah, especially.Must've been 79 or 80 when her movie Sunburn was coming out in Korea. I was too young to see it but the poster was provocative and I had it pasted on my wall for many months. She was truly my first

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-54114876624520072132009-06-08T05:22:00.002-04:002009-06-08T05:27:12.019-04:00

Can you believe iPhone isn't still available in Korea? I'm not talking about North Korea. In such a tech savvy and advanced country as South Korea, iPhone has been this urban legend for 2 years now. Well, that may change tonight when Apple hosts its annual WWDC where they announced different versions of iPhone as they will probably introduce a new iPhone.And they'd better announce Korea is being

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-18553597634444626132009-05-18T08:55:00.003-04:002009-05-18T08:59:40.981-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday. I turned 41. Ouch! No, why should I frown about it? It's a great thing. I'm 41 years young. :)I spent and celebrated it with my parents, my sister, her husband and my lovely niece. Family is important. As I'm getting older, I'm beginning to realize it more than ever. Will I ever have my own?This week, I'm going to see MOTHER by Bong Joon-ho. I'm curious about it. He's

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-40212592037534304112009-05-06T14:19:00.004-04:002009-05-06T14:35:37.500-04:00

Saw Doctor Zhivago on the big screen yesterday. I remember falling in love with Julie Christie when I first saw it on the TV as a teenager. Time has passed and I seem to have a different reaction to it now. First of all, it was quite interesting to see a film devoid of CGI. Also the pacing was deliberate. The ideology was somewhat naive. But one thing was timeless. That's the emotion of the story

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-67642610440693983322009-04-30T00:39:00.002-04:002009-04-30T00:46:29.417-04:00

No more Whitney.In the past 3 months, I tried bringing Whitney Houston to Korea for a concert. We set the date and venue. Then, my partner told me the investors were having second thoughts about it. In the end, the deal fell through and I guess we wouldn't be able to see her perform live in Seoul for a while.I know shit happens but I'm kind of mad at him for asking me to negotiate with her agent

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-9029024526758916692009-04-23T02:08:00.003-04:002009-04-30T00:39:15.637-04:00

Yesterday I went to see "I Like My Lover's Wife, Too." Wait! That's the Korean title of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Yes, when I first heard of the Korean title, I thought it was some cheesy Korean indie flick. But I guess, the distributor felt the original title didn't have enough hook so they must've decided to lure the audience thinking it's an erotic threesome movie.Well, in a way, it is an

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-81901437537679192812009-04-19T08:56:00.000-04:002009-04-19T08:57:00.865-04:00

Now who doesn't want to fly? :)

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-42065339569503663742009-04-16T23:08:00.003-04:002009-04-16T23:15:15.284-04:00

Is it a waste of time or is this something meaningful happening? I'm sure you've heard of Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN on Twitter on their request to reach a million followers first. It's definitely fun to witness this but what does it mean? Or is it another form of entertainment? Anyhow, the race is tight and it might happen in the next hour.I have yet to enjoy what twitter can do for my life but in

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-58122036113496319222009-04-14T01:42:00.002-04:002009-04-14T01:49:14.179-04:00

It's beautiful day but I have so much work to do and I'm so sleepy. :) I had a pretty rough night last night drinking beer at a friend's place. I slept for only 4 hours as I had to wake up early this morning for the Mets first home game at Citi Field. Of course, we lost in a painful fashion.Just went out for lunch and it's just one of those rare crisp days today in Seoul. I feel like playing

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-2448042676292212832009-04-10T00:30:00.002-04:002009-04-10T00:41:21.037-04:00

Spring is here. No, it looks like we skipped spring and right into summer. Hey, I ain't complaining although it's now the season of mosquitoes.Work-wise, pretty busy. The indie movie I'm supposed to direct this summer/fall... I'm just waiting until my producers will tell me we have the money now and it's a go. Until then, I'm keeping myself busy with several projects.Twitter... I like this thing

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-42087669022164372062009-03-25T09:21:00.002-04:002009-03-25T09:29:19.075-04:00

Ever heard of Epik High? It's a popular hip hop group from Korea. If you're hip and have knowledge about Asian pop culture, maybe you have. :)Anyhow, I'm friends with them. In fact, the leader of the group is an old friend and dare I say, my former protege, who used to work on e-dreams.Now, they're doing something radical at least in Korea. They turned out lucrative contracts from big labels and

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-7966465087347204132009-03-09T11:41:00.004-04:002009-03-09T12:17:44.558-04:00

I'm speechless. Another Korean actress killed herself last weekend. And this one I knew personally and even hung out with a couple of years ago. Ran into her last summer when she stopped by at the neighboring office where she was meeting a director for casting. We chatted a little bit and I told her I was very happy her acting career was taking off. Her bright smile then didn't hint any sense of

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-42044776925538151282009-02-28T08:56:00.003-05:002009-02-28T09:00:07.811-05:00

Keeping myself busy with a bunch of stuff while waiting on a project I'm interested in directing this summer...Looks like I'm becoming a concert promoter. In discussions to invite a world-famous artist to Korea this spring. I became involved in this because a friend of mine is in this business and I was trying to help him out. Definitely interesting and actually quite rewarding. In a few weeks, I

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-53868296711762224612009-02-26T20:40:00.002-05:002009-02-26T20:47:32.465-05:00

Just added Twitter to this blog. Not that I have any urgent thing to say every hour. All these Web 2.0 things I subscribe to but not sure what they're really for. Do I have time for all these? Blog, Twitter, Facebook, emails, etc. It's still 24 hours a day. I wonder what I would be sacrificing if I still lived in the pre-Internet. Reading books? Possibly.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-66070764309201814522009-02-23T10:05:00.002-05:002009-02-23T10:17:10.874-05:00

Watched the Oscars. Happy Slumdog won. Not quite happy with the acting awards. I would've preferred Mickey Rourke, Meryl Streep, Viola Davis and Robert Downey Jr.The show itself was a mess. Not sure Hugh Jackman was a good choice. Actually he was a good choice but they misused him. The musical numbers were mediocre. The one he did with Beyonce was like, what was that about? It would've been

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-76232219748489290362009-02-22T07:50:00.000-05:002009-02-22T07:51:38.255-05:00

Hilarious. Heartfelt. Now can he top it at the Oscars today if he wins? :)

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-55703900275603058562009-02-16T23:48:00.001-05:002009-02-16T23:49:44.517-05:00

These days I get up at 6 in the morning. Does it mean I'm still jet-lagged or am I having a healthier life?

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-90670034340765194592009-02-11T21:18:00.002-05:002009-02-11T21:25:07.731-05:00

I'm amazed no one has really heard of "Slumdog Millionaire" in Korea other than a few expats. But once I play the soundtrack for them, they instantly love it. I know the film will be released here in March but what are they doing, not releasing the album already? It would be a great way to build the buzz.BTW, "Expats" is off IMDB. I requested it weeks ago and now they complied. Does it mean the

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-24298738533514741672009-02-07T02:18:00.002-05:002009-02-07T02:23:10.716-05:00

A month long trip is almost over... without blogging but some intermittent twittering.The first thing to report. I'm going to direct a low budget horror movie this summer in the States. That is, if the producers raise the money for the film. Somehow we're confident. Will update on it next week when I return to Korea.Second, the big horror/creature movie I'm producing is going good. Had a few

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-73186008872716183522009-01-08T03:32:00.003-05:002009-01-08T03:35:09.744-05:00

I'm heading out to LA and Sundance next week.It's been 8 months since my last time in the States. The first thing I would do it watch "Gran Torino."

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-56172561397317345172009-01-03T02:55:00.003-05:002009-01-03T03:08:34.968-05:00

Happy 2009!I've sent out an email to some friends and colleagues that I will make a movie this year. What a statement! Am I confident? There's nothing wrong with aiming for something. It won't be Expats though. I need a break from the project. I do. But I've got some other exciting projects coming up and you'll be hearing about them from me for months to come.Meanwhile, the annual top 10

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-34767907409456393962008-12-24T00:25:00.002-05:002008-12-24T00:29:16.577-05:00

Happy Kwanzaa!I never liked the year end holidays. But this year, I'm in a high spirit. Not in love. Poor as hell. Projected still in development but I'm grateful for everything in my life.2009 will be a good year. No doubt about it.Tonight, I go see the Epik High concert. Epik High is a Korean hip hop band that truly has an international appeal. Tablo, the lead singer and writer, actually worked

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-90821989523915893962008-12-17T23:37:00.002-05:002008-12-17T23:43:06.389-05:00

Just read an interesting article in the New York Times about "excessiveness of the bonuses in the Wall Street."As a mere filmmaker, I do not understand the business world. That made me want to make a documentary about the dot com world 8 years ago. It became a cautionary tale about the excessiveness of the financial world and I thought people would learn from it.It seems no one has learned or

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-36250152958498151432008-12-09T05:38:00.002-05:002008-12-09T05:52:59.241-05:00

Saw "Let the Right One In" and "The Fall" over the weekend. The former is a brilliant adolescent fantasy straight from the land of Ingmar Bergman. In fact, the film feels as if Bergman decided to update Nosferatu himself. The swimming pool scene is one of the best set pieces I've ever seen in a decade.Now, over months, I've been hearing about "The Fall" by Tarsem and I could not pass up an

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-59571219437074184922008-12-06T07:03:00.003-05:002008-12-06T07:13:31.068-05:00

Saturday night in Seoul. That means, everyone gets drunk on soju. While it's fun, I know my body won't take it any more. It's like I'm admitting I'm mortal. Ha!I do want to go see Tarsem's The Fall now but unfortunately, I can't think of a friend whom I can call now for such an unusual film. Is my friendship in Korea mostly superficial? Or do most people not care for alternative cinema?Either way

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-63305363685690693842008-12-05T05:16:00.001-05:002008-12-06T07:14:22.445-05:00

My first blog posting through email using iPhone...I'm about to watch a Korean musical and I know nothing about it. Sometimes unexpectedness is good.Had a hectic day. Had lunch with some people from William Morris Agency. Met with Tablo from Epik High.Sent from my iPhone

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-76427213051931019702008-12-02T04:44:00.002-05:002008-12-02T04:45:15.580-05:00

I keep hearing great things about Let The Right One In. It's playing in Korea. Definitely I don't want to miss it.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-29987751204714916302008-12-01T02:03:00.002-05:002008-12-01T02:07:47.584-05:00

December 1. This year is almost over. Another one passes by without me making a film. Actually, I was involved in a Korean feature shot partially in the Bay Area. Later I took my name off the project due to some internal issues. Overall, it wasn't a satisfying experience. Same thing with a Singapore production called "Dance of the Dragon" last year.When you have little control over the project, I

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-36079518278606661032008-11-28T10:26:00.006-05:002008-11-28T10:38:01.269-05:00

Just finished watching the first season of the Sopranos. Cannot believe why it's taken so long for me to finally watch this. Especially when two of my actors from TOO TIRED TO DIE (Michael Imperioli and Aida Turturro) starred in it.It made me miss a lot about New York. Especially, those NY coffees (in this case, NJ coffee) in "We Are Happy to Serve You" cups. Back then, coffee was coffee. There

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-39176669349217572522008-11-18T10:58:00.002-05:002008-11-18T11:08:45.846-05:00

What a weekend! It's not often two major international artists like Jamiroquai and Billy Joel come to Korea and have concerts back-to-back. Luckily, I attended both and had hell of a time.Hey, I even got to meet Jay Kay of Jamiroquai after the concert.At the Billy Joel concert...Now, I'm suffering a little bit of cold as the temperatures dropped Sunday.Tomorrow, I have a conference call about the

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-56589562303127797672008-11-09T23:54:00.003-05:002008-11-10T00:00:18.279-05:00

Beautiful Monday afternoon. Listening to a Beethoven piano sonata. It's been a while since I was deliberately listening to classical music. Very soothing. Very serene.My life is far from serene. Lately, I feel like I'm living my life to the fullest. I feel like I have so much to give. Well, I'd better make a movie soon.I'm making progress on all fronts. I wrote another 10 pages of my script "The

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-30428567347308155062008-11-04T23:55:00.002-05:002008-11-05T00:29:56.288-05:00

I congratulate America for making a right choice.Just to think, a year ago no one would've thought a bi-racial first term senator from Illinois would become the next president of the United States.But here we are, as he just said, “A new dawn of American leadership is at hand.” It's truly inspiring. I remember watching him for the first time 4 years ago on the Democratic Convention when he made

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-1627792320857569152008-11-04T02:53:00.001-05:002008-11-04T02:55:02.578-05:00

I wish America the best of luck tomorrow. Hopefully we won't be able to talk about politics for a while. Now back to work...

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-91546479309340653412008-10-30T04:19:00.001-04:002008-10-30T04:20:51.488-04:00

Wish I could. I'm a resident alien. :( But those who can, go out and make a difference!

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-21857895662029791962008-10-27T06:26:00.002-04:002008-10-27T06:28:35.876-04:00

Wrote the first 8 pages of the new screenplay "The Stupid Girl" today. It's a long way to go but I guess I'm off to a good start. Right now, I'm working on 3 screenplays simultaneously. Never thought I would be able to do it but I'm doing it now.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-2719883389596816672008-10-25T02:08:00.000-04:002008-10-25T02:09:35.766-04:00

Will Ferrell and Tina Fey at their best.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-83997132208151989502008-10-25T01:10:00.001-04:002008-10-25T01:12:18.111-04:00

Charles Stone of the "Wassup" fame made this to endorse Obama. TRUE.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-19630677548704650552008-10-23T13:48:00.003-04:002008-10-23T13:55:50.689-04:00

Is the world collapsing? At least in my world, everything seems so bleak. Although I'm excited about Obama getting elected, the financial worlds both in the States and Korea are in deep trouble and the film industry in Korea is pretty much comatose. But not everything is depressing. I've been through tougher times. Right now, I'm developing a project set in Mongolia. I may be offered to direct a

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-72545808037979121992008-10-04T07:09:00.003-04:002008-10-23T13:57:03.774-04:00

Sarah Palin now winks at the Vice Presidential debate. What the hell is going on? Do people really take her seriously? This is totally absurd.Matt Damon said it's like a bad Disney movie. I think it's worse. It's like being trapped in a David Lynch film and you can't get out. Scary.But at the same time, it's totally entertaining. I spent hour reading about her. Everything is entertainment now.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-52115866034945207552008-09-30T23:09:00.004-04:002008-09-30T23:14:13.505-04:00

Lately, I'm totally fascinated by this Palin syndrome. If this were a Hollywood fairy tale, we would totally root for her but in real life, she doesn't come across as a hero type. Maybe it's her voice? Which is very annoying.Now that the Mets are done for the season (that's another matter which I have yet to recover from), my non-film activity will likely be focused on this bizarre election.Watch

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-92072155093459782622008-09-14T12:05:00.001-04:002008-09-14T12:05:37.757-04:00

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-51134976705544339562008-09-10T02:12:00.003-04:002008-09-10T02:19:30.996-04:00

I had an unexpected guest this week. Katheryn Winnick is an actress friend of mine I've known for 3 years. Immensely talented and unbelievably beautiful, she is also a black belt wearer in Taekwondo (3rd Dan, no less) and her visit to Korea is a special one. Of course, we had to visit Kukkiwon, Taekwodo's Association HQ and we were pleasantly surprised to find her name in the system. She made her

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-73676397458401062562008-09-03T03:09:00.003-04:002008-09-03T03:15:32.817-04:00

Last night, the season 2 of the Gossip Girl got off to a good start (3.5 million) in the States. My interest in it? One of my best friends Matthew Settle is in the show so I'm rooting for it to do well. The show is getting a lot of interest in Korea, too, especially among the young girls. Matthew is tremendously talented and I can't wait to work with him someday.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-18376506114132945702008-08-25T01:54:00.002-04:002008-08-25T01:56:21.060-04:00

Summer is almost over. Time to get back to work. Back to my blog, too. A lot is going on. I don't know where I would be this fall. New York is a possible destination. A stop over in Guam is a must. Why Guam? A long story.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-4455805573581666512008-06-24T03:09:00.004-04:002008-06-24T03:27:15.982-04:00

An earnest yet powerful film entitled Crossing is about to open in Korea. I urge everyone here to go see it when it opens this weekend.Is it a masterpiece? Hardly. But once in a blue moon, a flawed film can touch us and move us. Crossing is such film. The story is simple. A former soccer star who works in a coal mine in North Korea, has to cross the border to China to get medicine for his dying

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-41420472931359887112008-06-22T11:50:00.003-04:002008-06-22T11:51:30.539-04:00

A great read (must-read) about the state of independent film on indieWIRE.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-11922424668492730532008-06-01T07:23:00.005-04:002008-06-01T07:44:28.751-04:00

Sex and the City: The Movie.It opened huge in the States but the IMDB rating is a ridiculous 3.8. Well, men hate this film (as well as the series) and women love it. Women in their 20's are just nuts about it while the teenage girls don't give a damn about it. Again, men just hate it. I wonder if they've actually seen the film. Are they intimidated? Why this divide?For someone who's watched the

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-47293384685641691502008-05-27T12:50:00.004-04:002008-05-27T14:33:02.347-04:00

1982. 1983.Those years were important in my life in that I started watching movies more seriously. One of the first films which made a huge impact for me was Raiders of the Lost Ark. Another one that deeply moved me was Tootsie.Some 26 years later, the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise opened and a week later, Sydney Pollack, the director of Tootsie is dead.Indiana Jones and the

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-43720866940957633822008-05-21T02:27:00.003-04:002008-05-21T02:47:19.412-04:00

Most fans of Korean cinema may not know who Bae Chang-ho is. A maverick filmmaker in his 50's, Bae was once called the Korean Spielberg because he cranked out a hit after another. His noted films include The Deep Blue Night and Our Sweet Days of Youth. Back in the 80's, he was literally the biggest filmmaker in Korea.Last night, a retrospective of his films was held at the Korean cinematheque. 

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-16952078939044249442008-05-19T12:00:00.004-04:002008-05-19T12:03:31.101-04:00

My first YouTube embedding... I don't even know how it works but this will make me more active with my blog. And here's some obscure but fascinating music video from Sweden and arguably the worst one ever. :)

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-39865838834485587582008-05-15T07:27:00.002-04:002008-05-15T07:34:57.320-04:00

Approaching the half point...I'll be 40 in a few days. Yikes! Where did my 30's go? :)Back in Korea but the film industry here is in such a bad shape that I feel like I should've stayed in the States.Last year, they made over 100 movies. This year, they say maybe 30 movies will be made. That's how serious it is.I'm also back on track with Expats. I'm going to do a quick rewrite and get it out

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-36614897248013241202008-03-19T02:36:00.004-04:002008-03-19T10:01:56.319-04:00

Day 2. The first 2 days of 25 (we shoot 15 more days in Korea) went rather smoothly. Of course, like in any productions, we've had hiccups but we're finishing the scenes.Moviemaking is a miracle. In pre-production, there are a lot of doubts and worries but once the camera (in this case, the cameras) is rolling, it's all magic.Like the picture below. It was taken at 6:30 in the morning on the

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-26156810065961775692008-03-04T19:14:00.002-05:002008-03-04T19:15:36.896-05:00

My life with cows in Nicasio, CA. :)

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-6999143818184749002008-03-04T19:05:00.002-05:002008-03-04T19:13:43.377-05:00

At least, the weather is fabulous. Never thought Northern California would be so beautiful. Of course, there's nothing much exciting going on. Which is good, because we don't want any distractions. The production company is located in San Rafael and the hotel is in the middle of nowhere. There's a mall in a walking distance. Never thought I would be a frequent visitor to a suburban mall. Hey,

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-31104455165255743302008-02-10T20:03:00.000-05:002008-02-10T20:21:31.487-05:00

Back to San Francisco. But this time, I'll be gone for 3 months. The production starts in a month and we have 5 weeks of shooting in the States before moving back to Korea for the local shoot.This is exciting. At the same time, nerve-wrecking. My first real producing experience. No matter what, I'm going to enjoy the ride.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-56384398170570582752008-01-23T09:41:00.000-05:002008-01-23T09:48:36.937-05:00

There Will Be Death...It was truly shocking to hear Heath Ledger died yesterday. I heard the news as soon as I landed in Korea. I didn't know him but we once considered him for Expats. It's a terrible loss.A couple of days ago, I saw There Will Be Blood. It's a masterpiece. Didn't expect this powerful film from Paul Thomas Anderson. I've always liked his work but didn't think he was going to be a

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-58107857753654812652008-01-21T14:23:00.000-05:002008-01-21T14:47:29.483-05:00

Sundance Film Festival. Exactly 10 years ago, I had a film there. So it was interesting to revisit the site where I had both excitement and disappointment. Excitement... because it opened doors for me. Disappointment... because my career didn't exactly pan out as I wanted it to be. From the class of 98, Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) and Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream) are definitely doing well.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-72497932894347339202008-01-13T02:40:00.000-05:002008-01-21T14:49:31.840-05:00

Wine is something I drink but I know little about. Movies like SIDEWAYS makes me want to learn more about it but part of me thinks it's all pretentious. Today, I visited some wineries in Napa Valley and that was some kind of an experience.Day 3 in USA. We had a day off so some of us went up there to taste some wine. Of course, I got totally wasted after the 3rd winery. To be honest, I couldn't

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-23904140957702178392008-01-09T16:34:00.000-05:002008-01-09T16:49:47.629-05:00

It's almost 7 in the morning and I'm still up. Well, I'm not sure if I will go to bed at all because I have to pack now and get on a plane in 10 hours.I'm off to San Francisco. What for? I'm actually producing a film which we'll be shooting in SF in March. However, it's a Korean film and it takes place in Korea. Then why are we shooting in the States? That's a good question. :)Next week, I'm also

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-35501999968198024342007-12-23T16:16:00.001-05:002007-12-23T16:45:01.229-05:00

I'm not a critic nor have I seen every single film released this year either in North America or in Korea. But it's always fun to sum up a year. So I'm selecting my personal 10 best films of the year. I haven't included the films I watched on DVD.1. HairsprayWhat's up with me and musicals? I'm a sucker for happy musicals like this one although this one is so radical that I don't even know if it's

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-43568701051714034102007-12-17T11:47:00.000-05:002007-12-17T11:56:18.951-05:00

The feel-bad season has come around the corner. Alright, I don't think I've had that many wonderful Christmases. I actually dread this time of the year.Last Christmas, I spent the entire day watching the first season of 24. So, it was a time well spent. I have no idea what I'm going to do this year. Maybe I'll go see Alvin and the Chipmunks.Right now, I gotta focus on closing a deal with writers

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-68316624070710256142007-12-06T00:11:00.000-05:002007-12-06T00:24:57.717-05:00

Saw Michael Clayton two days ago. I was quite impressed. The film looked like and reminded me of some of Sidney Lumet films. Interestingly, Lumet directed a film called Before the Devil Knows You're Dead this year, which may be a contender come the awards season.Speaking of which, the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures announced their annual awards a few days ago. The Best Picture went

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-3720360963042006272007-12-03T07:46:00.000-05:002007-12-03T08:19:51.417-05:00

A month later...The strike is still going on. No one seems to know how long it will last. The WGA resumed its talk with AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers) last week and the talk will start again tomorrow but it's uncertain where it will go.Meanwhile, a small Irish film has become a sleeper hit in Korea and it's been a pleasant surprise. The movie is called ONCE and it

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-79218710153937934592007-11-02T04:59:00.000-04:002007-12-03T08:20:22.912-05:00

Scribe Strike!!!Either tomorrow or Monday, Hollywood screenwriters will go on strike unless there's a dramatic resolution.For a filmmaker now based in Korea, this seems like a foreign affair but it may affect a lot of things we do here. Especially for an international project, if you want to hire a writer, most likely he/she is a member of WGA (Writers Guild of America).Will it last? How about

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-77370124305400387832007-10-29T16:57:00.001-04:002007-10-29T17:15:49.897-04:00

(Choi Min-sik, June Ha from Mojito Pictures and Vadim Perelman)What a wonderful day! In life, there are days which are just perfect. I think today is one of those days. And I took a back seat today.Last night Vadim arrived in Seoul. Although jet-lagged, we went out for drinks and has such a great time. After many bottles of soju, and he just fell in love with Korea. :)And today "In Bloom" was

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-14486946805700154642007-10-23T00:17:00.000-04:002007-10-23T00:27:49.723-04:00

Now another festival is awaiting. At least it's in Seoul. I'm involved in a new film festival as an advisor. It's Chungmuro International Film Festival in Seoul. This year, the festival has many wonderful programs, mostly classics and restorations. But we were able to invite one of the most talented filmmakers in Hollywood and his new film. His name is Vadim Perelman and his film is "In Bloom"

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-22031183543860426232007-10-15T23:41:00.000-04:002007-10-15T23:47:37.964-04:00

I was just at the 12th annual Pusan International Film Festival. The truth is, I wasn't really at the festival as I watched only one film. It seems most people I met there hardly went to see movies, either. We were just drinking like it would be the end of the world. It was fun but now I'm paying for it.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-7287101430099981272007-08-09T09:30:00.000-04:002007-08-09T09:40:54.564-04:00

While I've been busy with movies I'm producing and movies I'm going to direct, Korea has been consumed with an ultimate trash movie called D-WAR (or DRAGON WARS as will be known in the States). It's making big bucks and it's becoming the talk of the town but ultimately it's a B movie with some impressive visual effects and some bad acting and a really bad script.Don't know how this became the

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-30483268173207985802007-08-09T09:16:00.000-04:002007-08-09T09:27:53.549-04:00

(With Jaesup Hwang, JH's manager right after the press conference)I'm back in Korea. I miss Singapore already. I miss the magic that's called filmmaking.I only stayed for the first two days of shooting and they went smoothly. The director is very happy with Jang Hyuk. He should be. I think JH is happy to be filming there. A lot of stuff the first week was JH and Jascon Scott Lee and their

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-92226422952123288682007-07-30T13:38:00.000-04:002007-07-30T13:48:22.444-04:00

(From left: Executive Producer Robin Leong, Jang Hyuk, Fann Wong,Jason Scott Lee and writer/director Max Mannix)I'm enjoying my time in Singapore. And it's the night before the principal photography. Max must be sleeping by now. In fact, I'm sure everybody in the production should be in bed. Today, "Dance of the Dragon" held a press conference sponsored by Singapore Tourism Bureau. It was a

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-17151370029805866432007-07-24T08:29:00.000-04:002007-07-24T08:38:28.643-04:00

A week away from the production in Singapore. The movie is called DANCE OF THE DRAGON and it stars the Korean star Jang Hyuk of "Windstruck", Jason Scott Lee of "Dragon" and Fann Wong of "Shanghai Knights." It's an unusual project in the sense that it truly has an international cast.I got involved because Arclight Films (which handles international sales and distribution) introduced me to the

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-26089276881103924942007-07-19T08:42:00.000-04:002007-07-19T09:01:11.706-04:00

Gosh! When was the last time I updated this blog? Must've been ages ago.My excuse? I was busy. I was actually busy with a film which goes into production in Singapore at the end of the month. No, it's not something I'll be directing but I'm an executive producer on it.I helped cast a Korean star whose name will be announced next week when there'll be a press conference. But somehow some local

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-83675939137144760222007-05-29T11:20:00.000-04:002007-07-19T09:01:53.921-04:00

Saw SECRET SUNSHINE last weekend. The leading lady Jeon Do-yeon won the Best Actress Award at Cannes Film Festival for the movie. It's an ambitious film but it disappointed in a big way because maybe I expected too much. I felt as though the director was condescending toward the Christians. He lacked empathy. I understood what he was trying to say but couldn't side with him. Oh, well.

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-1484347561446738602007-05-21T04:48:00.000-04:002007-05-21T04:55:36.093-04:00

Unexpectedly, a check was in the mail. DGA (Directors Guild of America) sent me a $510 check to my address in LA (my friend's actually) for some foreign TV levies from the sales of TOO TIRED TO DIE. That was kind of neat. Totally unexpected. Didn't think I would receive anything from it. It's been 10 years. Well, I guess if I make a hit movie, that would be a really nice check. :)Everything seems

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-64005178149812815772007-05-16T12:48:00.000-04:002007-05-16T13:08:10.373-04:00

It seems so many people have birthdays in May. Here's my theory.If you have a birthday in May, that means you were conceived in August. A hot summer month. People are also on vacation. What better time to conceive a child! :)Well, it's a silly thought.Anyhow, I thank my parents for bringing me out to this world. And tomorrow (actually today, which is my birthday) I'm going to treat myself to a

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-40108933462737876102007-05-14T00:21:00.000-04:002007-05-14T00:28:43.097-04:00

Now I'm back in Korea and I have to deal with "yellow dust" here. I don't remember it being so serious when I grew up here. What happened? An otherwise nice spring day is spoiled by the fog of dust.Overall, the LA/NY trip was productive. We have some interesting projects going on. But it's all about following up and making sure they stay on track.Things might slow down a little bit because of

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-78430157881722624362007-05-03T11:59:00.000-04:002007-05-03T12:08:58.768-04:00

Korean meal day w/ American directors...Yesterday I had lunch with Nick Cassavetes (ALPHA DOG, THE NOTEBOOK) and dinner w/ Vadim Perelman (THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG) in Koreatown. I knew Vadim before but with Nick, it was my first time meeting you. An actor friend of mine David Thornton who's also Nick's best friend thought we should meet so we met yesterday. Thought it would be a little awkward

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-91451936916372555292007-04-30T16:59:00.000-04:002007-04-30T17:07:50.696-04:00

Can't believe it's almost May. In a few weeks, Cannes begins but I don't think I'll go there this year. Well, I don't need to since I'm accomplishing a lot during this trip.I'm in New York at the moment but will head back to LA tomorrow morning. The last few days have been insanely busy. And productive.Met with Billy Hopkins. He says we have to be patient. He's confident we'll get someone for our

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3776462.post-43213885679369736852007-04-22T01:45:00.000-04:002007-04-22T01:58:43.810-04:00

24/7 on the road.I'm traveling to the States this week. First LA and then to NY and back to LA. Altogether 2 weeks.This is my first trip to the States since we incorporated the company. Also, I'm heading out there when a Korean-born gunman is still the headline news.I don't know if they're joking or are serious but some friends tell me to be careful. They even say if people ask you where you're

Wonsuk Chinnoreply@blogger.com4